Issue 3 available now!
Early this year. WhatTheyThink, the graphic communication industry’s leading news and information resource, launched the WhatTheyThink Quarterly Journal, a new online publication designed to provide in-depth commentary and analysis on printing industry trends. Every quarter, the Quarterly takes a deep dive into the various aspects of a single topic, as well as offer ongoing coverage of hot-button issues impacting the industry. The Quarterly Journal is a standalone publication on the WhatTheyThink platform, with content written specifically for the Journal. Contributors to the Quarterly Journal include expert contributors from both inside and outside the industry as well as WhatTheyThink’s regular stable of writers and analysts.
Issue 3—online now—is called “The Intelligent Automation Issue,” and takes a deep dive into different flavors of automation. A few of the long-form articles in Issue 3 include:
- Guest contributor Alan Darling walks us through what comprises a “smart factory” in general, and what a smart factory is in the context of a print business.
- David Zwang looks at “The Future of Print with Augmented and Artificial Intelligence,” detailing the evolution from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0. AI will also play a very big role in the “intelligent automation.”
- Heidi Tolliver-Walker looks at how certain aspects of human resources (HR) lend themselves very well to automation.
- Automation doesn’t just involve software, but hardware as well—specifically, robotics. Keypoint Intelligence’s Mark Boyt explains how, in at least in one corner of the industry—inplants—they are ready for robots and, indeed, are eagerly anticipating their use.
- Regular WhatTheyThink contributors Pat McGrew and Ryan McAbee take a birds-eye view of automation. From predictive maintenance and dynamic scheduling to real-time quality control, next-generation automation isn’t just about doing things faster. It's about doing them better,
- And much more.
The other Quarterly issues for 2025 are:
The Leadership Issue (Q4)
The WhatTheyThink Quarterly Journal is available to read for free, and does not require a WhatTheyThink membership, thanks to the vital support of our sponsors. If our work matters to you, help us keep it going by becoming a member or sponsor today.
Become a WhatTheyThink member at https://whattheythink.com/join/.
Become a Quarterly Journal sponsor by contacting Adam Goldman at [email protected].
Looking to contribute your expertise to upcoming issues of the Quarterly Journal? Contact Julie Shaffer at[email protected].
